Firestone Walker Double Barrel Ale

Brewed by Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Style: English Pale Ale
Paso Robles, California USA

22oz bottle. Pours a slightly hazy, orange-amber color; thin off-white head with light retention and lacing. Solid aroma of orange, candied fruits, and reserved sweetness; a mild, soft bitterness. Medium mouthfeel: the most noticeable character is a toasty, soft marshmallow sweetness over everything else: lightly toasty, creme brulee / vanilla sort of malt chewiness; non-astringent hop character; lightly viscous and impressively generous for 5%; some citrus and mineral acidity, crispness on the tip of the tongue; tasty stuff. Lasting finish, lightly sweet: toasty malts, toasted marshmallow, dried fruit.

The long anticipated Firestone Walker Double Barrel ale sits before me. I love the shape of the bottle... the Label, all very classy, I’m excited to see how it tastes. Pours with a big but kind of loose head leaving some spotty lace. The color is a nice copper. The aroma is English hops, slightly woody and slightly herbal. The flavor is a wonderful interweaving of European hops both grassy and herbal as well as lightly earthy and woody with a malt character that reminds one of an American pale ale, lightly caramely and dry some light baguette like notes sneak in with light fruity qualities. I think this must be about as complex and tasty as I’ve had from this style. If this were readily available to me I’d drink it with some frequency.

On tap at Tempe Oktoberfest. Pours a nice amber with a small white head. Aroma is malt, touch of hops, and some floral notes. Flavor is malt, caramel, touch of hops and floral notes, nuts, roastiness. Very creamy mouthfeel. Decent brew.

Rich amber color with a thin head. Good carbonation. Aroma of sweet malts with some earthy, floral hops. Flavors had a nice caramel-like sweetness combined with smooth finish and a nice bitter ending.

Indy Brewers Fest 2009 - Hopapalooza - Seemed a little out of place next to all the other hoppy beers, didn’t know it was an English pale. Aroma of sweet malts and a touch of hops. Flavor matches. Not a bad beer, just over-shadowed.

A very pleasant pale ale. This beer pours a nice golden amber color with a pretty good head. The aroma is sweetly malty with some mild floral hops. There’s a dry yeast note. The malt has a pleasant caramel flavor. The flavor is similar; it’s a sweet, mild pale ale. There isn’t a ton of English character to it, in my opinion, but it’s still a good beer. The mouthfeel seems right for the style and drinkability is good but it’s not quite pulling me back for a second bottle.

4 oz pour at the Oregon Brewers Festival in July ’09. Very interesting brew here. Clean and smooth, but complex.

Smells quite floral, and of malt and hops. Tastes very similar, again very floral. Light and refreshing, its a pleasant ale.